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Antoine Vermette
| birth_place = Saint-Agapit, Quebec, Canada | draft = 55th overall | draft_year = 2000 | draft_team = Ottawa Senators | career_start = 2003 }} Antoine Vermette (born on July 20, 1982) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who is currently playing for the Arizona Coyotes of the National Hockey League (NHL). Playing Career Major Junior Hockey Career Antoine played four seasons in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). Upon being drafted in the second round, 55th overall, by the Ottawa Senators at the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, he returned to the QMJHL for two more seasons and recorded a major junior career-high 119 points in 2000–01. In his final year of junior, he was limited to just four games during the regular season due to an misdiagnosed nerve problem in his neck originally thought to be post-concussion syndrome. Antoine returned in the playoffs to contribute 26 points in 22 games, leading the Victoriaville Tigres to the 2002 President's Cup as QMJHL champions, as well as an appearance in the 2002 Memorial Cup in Guelph, Ontario, finishing with a silver medal from the tournament after falling in the finals to the Western Hockey League (WHL)'s Kootenay Ice. Ottawa Senators Emerging from his major junior career, Antoine played the 2002–03 season with Ottawa's American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Binghamton Senators. In 74 games, he scored 18 goals and 20 assists and earned a place on the AHL All-Rookie Team. The following season, 2003–04, he earned an NHL roster spot with Ottawa out of training camp. In his rookie NHL season, he would appear in 57 games, scoring 14 points. During the 2004-05 NHL lockout, Antoine returned to Binghamton and scored 28 goals and 45 assists, second in team scoring only to Jason Spezza. As NHL play resumed the next season, he broke out with 21 goals. Antoine proved to be a valuable part of the Senators' lineup, providing valuable secondary scoring behind the team's top line of Dany Heatley, Jason Spezza and Daniel Alfredsson. His six short-handed goals ranked second in the league in the statistic. In light of the 2006 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Senators were considered Stanley Cup contenders by many, but were ultimately upset by the Buffalo Sabres in five games. In the subsequent off-season, on July 18, 2006, Antoine signed a two-year, $2 million contract extension with Ottawa. In 2006–07, he continued to improve, increasing his points total to 39 points, spending the majority of the season on a checking line with fellow penalty-killer Chris Kelly. The duo were rarely apart. On December 2, 2006, Antoine famously scored from behind the net through his legs on the short side against the Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Johan Holmqvist. The goal became well-known around the League and was named TSN's "Goal of the Season." During the 2007 playoffs, he recorded five points in 20 games and helped the Senators to the Prince of Wales Trophy as the Eastern Conference champions before ultimately losing the Stanley Cup to the Anaheim Ducks in five games. Columbus Blue Jackets Leading up to the 2009 NHL trade deadline, Antoine was widely rumored to be the subject of trade talks between the Senators and the Columbus Blue Jackets. Columbus General Manager Scott Howson, looking for scoring help as his team attempted to make the playoffs for the first time in its history, was reportedly offering goaltender Pascal Leclaire in exchange for Antoine. The deal later became official, as on March 4, he was traded to Columbus for Leclaire and a second-round draft pick in 2009, which Ottawa eventually used to select goaltender Robin Lehner. Phoenix Coyotes On February 22, 2012, Antoine was traded to the Phoenix Coyotes in exchange for goaltender Curtis McElhinney, a 2012 second-round draft pick and a conditional 2013 fifth-round draft pick. He would go on to score five goals with five assists for the Coyotes during the 2012 playoffs. On December 21, 2013, he recorded his second career hat-trick in a 4–3 win against his former team, the Ottawa Senators. Antoine's third goal of the night proved to be the game winning goal in overtime. In both the 2012–13 and 2013–14 regular seasons with the Coyotes, he finished in the top ten NHL leader list in faceoff win percentage; he finished both seasons with a faceoff win percentage above 56%. Chicago Blackhawks On February 28, 2015, nearing the end of the 2014–15 season, with the Coyotes effectively out of playoff contention, traded Antoine (a pending unrestricted free agent) to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for Klas Dahlbeck and a 2015 first-round draft pick. From the Coyotes to the Blackhawks, his role transitioned from a top-line forward to a role player with limited ice-time. Antoine recorded only three assists during the 2014-15 season without any goals. Antoine was a healthy scratch for the first two games of the 2015 Stanley Cup playoffs. Shortly after being reinstated into the lineup, he scored his first goal as a Blackhawk against the Nashville Predators on April 22, 2015. On May 23, 2015, Antoine scored the game-winning goal against the Anaheim Ducks in double overtime of the Western Conference Finals to tie the series 2-2. He and the Blackhawks defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning to win the 2015 Stanley Cup. He finished the playoffs with four goals, including three game winners and three assists. He was also dominant on the face-off dot, winning 166 of 282 draws for a 58.9% face-off win percentage during the postseason. Returning to Arizona On July 1, 2015, Antoine returned to the Arizona Coyotes on a two-year deal. Career Statistics Regular season and playoffs International Awards *Awarded the Mike Bossy Trophy (top QMJHL draft prospect) in 2000. *Named to the AHL All-Rookie Team in 2003. *2015 Stanley Cup Champion Personal Life In 2009, Antoine married his childhood sweetheart, Karen, a pharmacist. They have two daughters Leonna & Emilia. Category:Chicago Blackhawks players Category:Ottawa Senators players Category:Columbus Blue Jackets players Category:Phoenix Coyotes players Category:Ottawa Senators draft picks Category:1982 births Category:Quebec Remparts alumni Category:Binghamton Senators players Category:Victoriaville Tigres players Category:Stanley Cup champions Category:Canadian ice hockey players